Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info
As debuts go, it doesn’t get a whole lot better.
The first games as Capilano Blues head coach for Sue Soolsma were a pair of decisive wins on the road at Douglas College. CapU took Friday’s opener in straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-9) and were convincing Saturday as well in a four-set victory (25-19, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20).
It was the first action for the Blues since Nov. 30, but the team showed little sign of rust in the first set Friday with Abby Betker racking up six kills in the while Annika Kuznik gave Douglas fits from the service line with three of her four aces on the night.
Setter Mollie English shared the ball well, picking up 13 of her 32 assists in the second set with Natalie Rourke and Betker putting away five kills apiece.
The clinching set Friday was the Blues most dominant of the season as they prevented the Royals from getting into double digits. Rourke chalked up four more kills in the third set on her way to a season-best 12. Nnya Mbaoma’s three aces in the final set helped seal the deal. She ended up with a season-high five points from the service line.
On Saturday, Kuznik and Mbaoma got the offence going with four kills each in the opening set while Rourke and Betker combined for 10 in the second set.
A dominant third frame for the Blues included three aces from English and five kills for Mbaoma, who ended up with 17 on the night.
Stephanie Sung started at libero Saturday and responded with a game-high 20 digs.
The pair of wins makes it five in a row for the Blues and improves their PACWEST record to 7-5. Capilano makes their longest road trek of the season next weekend as they head to College of the Rockies for games in Cranbrook Jan. 17 and 18 against the Avalanche.
